THE MISSING PIECE

CHAPTER 10- CAPTURE THE FLAG

ZACHARY

Why is she so easy, how does she let any man in her bed! Didn't Sabrina told her that were no men allowed in that room. I was far from mad. The whole day I stay near her to see if Kygo would feel better, but he was still exhausted and discouraged. The anger was rising in my body and I left the RV. The whole night I stay outside, looking at the stars and trying to contact Kygo. Sometimes the link would go through, sometimes it was like I was talking to myself. The night was giving way to the dawn and the colors of the sky were beautiful and helped me relax. “That is a great view.” “Kygo! How are you feeling?” “Better, but still not fully recover.” I felt guilty for putting him in that place, it was my fault the half transformation, and he was the most affected one. “Remember I’m one of the stronger wolves, I will be up in no time.” Even though I could feel his pain he tried to make me feel better. “Alpha, Hitch and I are going to where you are.” Some minutes passed and now the sun was showing in between the mountains. I heard hard steps and saw Nelson arrived in his wolf form. He sat in front of me. “We must go to Red Tail pack, the Alpha is getting impatient and I ran out of excuses.” I saw his right front paw and had a white mark.

            -Did he bite you!

Nelson lowered his head. “It was nothing Alpha, he got desperate and the wolf took control. It’s already healed.”

            -That’s not an excuse, we are going there now!

“Can you transform Kygo?” “Yes Zac.” I relaxed my body and let my conscious slip. I felt a pull that brought me back in the front. I was already in full wolf form. “What happened Kygo? Don´t you want to be in charge?” “I still feel tired, I will help you from the back.” I started running, but with Kygo weak my speed wasn´t the same. I need to be careful if the Alpha of the Red Tail pack notice my weakness he wouldn’t hesitate to attack me for the position of King. The only reason he is being nice is because he has a thirty year old daughter and insist that she could be a great Luna queen. He already knows she is not my mate because he brought her to me in her eighteen birthday, he got really mad discovering that. And now that he knows that a search for Luna queen is going on, he insist that his daughter is the best option. And probably is desperate for me to mark her before she meets her real mate. If a wolf of higher rank marks a she wolf, and the mate is of a lower rank a mate bond would not form between them. The wolf of the lower rank can’t compete with a bond already formed of a higher rank even though he is the real mate. So he probably is getting anxious and that's the reason he lost control and attacked Nelson. We ran for one hour, the RV is in no pack land. I didn’t want to explain a pack the reason of bringing a human two dogs and a cat in their land, so we stay off territories. Just crossing the line of the territory four wolves appeared and ran with us until we arrived to the main house. I saw some clothes and changed back to my human form. When I finish dressing I looked and Nelson was also ready. The scar was more visible in his human form than in the wolf form. “Is a big one.” “I know, but let us not lose our head.” We walked to the house, were Alpha Scot was waiting for us.

            -My dear Zachary! How long has it been since we saw each other?

“Not long enough.” I almost laugh with Kygo’s comment but barely kept my poker face and kept walking to him. When he was close he hugged me.

            -No need for that many formalities between us, we are about to be family.

He hasn't change nothing. “Still the old full of himself man.” He pushed me through the entrance door. I looked around the house, it shed wealth and extravagant taste. “Has he haven’t heard that less is more.” I was happy to hear Kygo’s voice more often, his attitude was coming back.

            -I see you like the view.

            -It´s not that…

            -Oh! I get it now! You are anxious to see your future Luna? But that would have to wait. I send Brittany to prepare for the ceremony.

            -What ceremony? 

-Do not think I would let you leave with my daughter without marking her first. She is not your real mate, and I need a guarantee that you will indeed make her your Luna.

            -Who says I will choose your daughter to be my Luna.

I didn’t notice and used my Alpha king tone. He lowered his head.

            -It’s just a hunch, just wait until tomorrow when she comes back and you see her. She is perfect. She is smart in strategies, a great warrior and beautiful as no other woman.

            -It takes more to be my partner.

I walked faster with him following behind and explaining the areas of the house. Then we entered his office to see the records of his pack members. The office was full with pictures of his daughter, and some of his oldest son. They could pass as twins. His son is around fifty years. I remembered the first time I saw him. He had a long shirt and had his hair long. When I saw him I thought that he was a girl and a beautiful one. The long blonde curls fell all the way to his waist and his blue eyes contrasted his tanned skin. To my surprise he was a he and an Alpha son. He preferred to play chess or to read rather than train or play with other kids. I played some matches of chess with him and learned that he was indeed really smart. His father was one of the best warriors in the kingdom and felt disappointed in his only son, but the Luna of the Red Tail pack had problems conceiving kids, and had a dangerous pregnancy with Maverick. The boy was indeed the live image of his mother, just some features more manly and his father's sturdy body. I saw a big picture in the chimney and notice that the daughter was the living image of the mother, but with a darker blonde hair. The second pregnancy of the Luna was harder than the first one and died while giving birth. The Red Tail Alpha changed and focused all his attention to his daughter, that was a tomboyish girl. When I saw her at her eighteenth birthday she had  pixie curly haircut. Later I learned she cutted her hair by herself because she felt it got in her way while training and climbing trees. “I remember that girl! she was fun!” The books were well written and the data collection was impressive.

    -How do you rate the character of the warriors. Is there an exam or how do you get to these numbers?

    -No idea, that’s my son’s job. I just train them in the field. In the important parts. He handles the rest.

    -I would like to speak to him.

    -I already told him to come here, but I will go. When you are ready to come and see the real part of the pack, join us in the training field.

While saying that he left the office. “He still doesn’t sees the important in planning and studying. Just training isn't enough.” I heard light steps and saw Maverick opening the door.

    -Hello Maverick, it's been a long time! 

    -Hello Alpha king.

    -There’s no need to be so formal call me Zac, come sit down.

He looked just as I remembered, but allot bigger, his face was now definitely a man and his hair was shorter, shoulder length. I showed him the books and he explained me the process of the selection and criteria. I decided to call Nelson in. He is the one that helps me with the books and he was also amazed by the amount of information and the way to proceed it.

    -If we had this information we can determine the areas to improve of each pack member in a unique way.

    -Yes Nelson, that’s why I called you in. You did a great job perfecting this notes Maverick, you are going to be a great Alpha. Can't wait to work with you in the future.

I stood up and extended my hand to him. He also stood up and shake my hand. He smiled.

    -Getting off of the work theme, how is your life going.

    -It’s been great Alpha king…

I gave him a hard look.

    -It's’ been great Zac, since I found Lilly my life is getting better every day.

Lilly was a member of the Aegean Moon, she was the daughter of one of the highest rank warriors. When Alpha Scott arrived to our land for his daughter eighteenth birthday he also brought Maverick with him. The moment they crossed paths they new they were mates. That same week she left with Maverick to Red Tail pack and I haven't seen her since then. That day I felt jealous of them, they encounter was so simple. I cursed the Moon Goddess for not letting me find my mate. Flashes of Grace’s face passed through my mind. 

    -My father is impatient and want us in the training field now.

He looked nervous while speaking. “He is probably skipping all the harsh stuff Alpha Scott is telling him.” “I don't understand how he can treat his son that way.” “He has always been a physical more than a mental thinker, and loosing his mate didn’t help him at all.” I put my arm on his shoulders and began to walk beside him to the training field. Arriving I saw a bunch of wolves training, without a proper guide. 

    -I know what you are thinking, most times is not like this. But since Lilly became pregnant my father is taking care by himself of the trainings and it’s getting off hand.

“He is still really aware of his surroundings, one look and he understood what we were thinking.”

    -Lilly is pregnant? Congratulations man!

I gave him a big slap in the back and hugged him.

    -Yes, the only good thing that boy has, is now resting in bed. Hopefully the baby would be more like his mother than his father.

Maverick just lowered his head. “I can't deal with this Zac, do something!”

    -Let´s make a deal Scott, we are going to have a typical capture the flag game. Divide your men in two teams and choose the one you like. You and your son would be the leaders. No deep wounds or hard damage allowed. I’m going to be the judge with my third in command to supervise the no hard harm between the teams. The winner leader can ask something from the loser.

    -There’s nothing for me to win there, I need nothing from my son.

    -Okay, then you could ask me a favor if you win.

His eyes sparkled with greed. “Or worst, he could make us accept his daughter in marriage.”

    -Now you are talking.

He started to shout names and formed a team. “Zac each member of his team looks enormous. the other team are just young warriors and the skinny ones.” “I know, but I trust what Maverick can do.” Maverick walked to me.

    -Zac, you have so much to lose in this, let’s retreat.

I looked at him and put my hand in his shoulder.

    -You are smarter than him, to win a battle muscles are not that important. You know the place, know the people. There’s no way you lose if you play well your cards or your information.

I winked at him and then walked to the two teams that were ready to start the battle. 

    -No deep bites or scratches, if those end in a deep wound you would be out of the game with other member, giving your team two less players to continue. Now listen to me, in this moment each leader is your Alpha, you don't respond to other members if they are not from your team. So Alpha Scott divide the link just for the duration of the game. I would be in your team and Nelson would be in Maverick’s. We will make sure a fair game goes on.

I transform into my wolf. The clothes that I wore flew in the air in pieces. I waited for Nelson to complete his transformation and then howled. “Let the game begin” All members the Blue team, Alpha’s Scott team, transformed in their wolves. Meanwhile some of the Yellow team stayed in human form. The leaders grabbed the flag of the respective team and ran. I let ten minutes to pass and the howled again, signal that now they should leave the flag in one place without moving it and that they were now allowed to look for the other team flag. The link in the Blue team was a mess, Scott was shouting orders that contradicted the last one. But the point was to attack until someone find the flag. I kept close to Scott and Kygo was paying attention to the interaction between the members of the team. “Problems north!” I leave Scott side and ran. A big beige wolf had the leg of a smaller one between his teeth. I collide with them and bite the beige wolfs ear. He opened his snout and let go the small wolf. “Blue team, infraction! You’re out and also the closest member of the team out” He growled to me. “His wolf is confused because the lack of command.” “Okay Kygo, can you handle it?” “Yes.” That answer gave me a smile, Kygo was feeling stronger now. I let mi conscious slip to the back and let Kygo full control. He growled harder to the wolf and stood with pride. He jumped and shoot down the wolf and put his paw in his face giving him a scratch. Then he back of and growled harder. The other wolf didn’t stand up and just made a ball with his body meanwhile the whimpers intensify. Other team wolf heard the whimpers and came to see what was happening.  “You two, out of the game now!” I ordered with my command, both put their tails between their legs and ran. I heard Nelsons steps. I looked at the wolf that had a paw hurt. “Can you continue?” “I´m not going to be able to run, but I can still help my team.” Nelson arrived and helped the wolf to move. I returned to Scott side. “That was not a deep wound” “Breaking the bone is off limits and you know it.” He ignored me and kept running. “Zac this team is getting nowhere, they are just running everywhere. I'm bored.” “I know Kygo, but hopefully this ends fast.” A howl flooded the land. “Alpha the yellow team has now the blue flag, there's a group of wolves running with it to the starting point.” Kygo started to run. Arriving to a hill to have a better look I saw four wolves one with the flag and three others protecting him. The strategy was passing the Blue team wolves by throwing the flag and other wolf catching it. It’s not a normal thing to do and it was working, the blue wolves looked confused. When the group of four wolves arrived to the starting point, they were howling in victory. Alpha Scott arrived and transformed to his human form.

                -They cheated!

I transformed to my human form.

            -What proof do you have?

            -My son’s smell isn't anywhere the territory, he must have took the flag with him off limits.

            -Alpha Scott, you and I will look for the yellow flag, and if we discover you are right the win is yours.

He smiled. I transformed back and started running. He followed me. He was right, the smell of Maverick was at the starting point but gets lost in the middle of the territory. Nelson arrived to my side. “Alpha let me contact also Alpha Scott.” I joined the link. “Alpha Scott, your son never transformed into a wolf, that’s way the smell is not strong. Also at this point rode, one of the wolves in the yellow team, that covered his scent completely. Nelson started running and we followed him. “At this point in the river, he jumped into the water.” He continue running with the river flow, and in plain sight was a wet Maverick and the flag in the middle of the river. “By keeping himself wet, the scent never returned to the air.” “That’s cheating!” Alpha Scott ran to Maverick. Maverick dodge him and then transformed into his wolf. He had a big grey wolf with the head black. Alpha Scott attacked again and this time Maverick took the attack directly, and pushed his father. Scott fell to the water. Maverick subdued him in the rocks and growled while showing his teeth. “If you ever say something about my future baby, I swear I will rip your throat out! The Alpha King is my witness!”  “What a great Alpha, linking his own son apart to threaten him, coward.” “I sat and watched until Maverick let go of his father. He walked to the starting point. Nelson grabbed the yellow flag, and I waited for Alpha Scott. “You have a great son, start showing him more respect. The strategy to hide the flag was unique.” He didn't responded, and just walked. Arriving with everyone, he just transformed to his human form and kept walking until he entered the house. By that time, the Yellow team explained the strategy to the blue team, who acknowledge that was a fair win. Maverick walked into the center of the pack. “Let's go and hunt for dinner.” The whole pack howled and the hunt began.